Friday, 30 October 2015

Wherever you went in Madrid there were always people in the background; people carrying things. Like extras on a film set, they would cross and recross each scene, providing much needed verisimilitude. I half suspected that they would sneak around the corner, pick up another prop, and then cross the scene again. Sometimes a packing case, sometime a drain pipe, sometimes a chair.

Tuesday, 27 October 2015

Writing on the outside wall of the Prado Gallery in Madrid. Sometimes it doesn't matter what the writing says, what matters is the way that it says it. Sometimes what should be on the inside is on the outside.

Friday, 23 October 2015

Many of the buildings in Madrid made me think of sculptured icing sugar. Whole streets were like show-stopper challenges in some giant version of The Great British Bakeoff. If you could find a sharp enough knife and cut into them, there would probably be a rich fruit cake inside.

Thursday, 22 October 2015

Madrid is full of delightful street signs that deserve to be recorded. They tend to be small and fairly high up on buildings but a decent lens and long legs get around such problems. The Calle de los Donados translates as the street of the donated and was the site of an old charity hospital and a home for the blind.

Wednesday, 21 October 2015

Madrid is a real city of contrasts: you get fine old buildings with bits of modern metal sticking out of them and trees nudging up against concrete walls. You get blue skies in the heavens and rainbows painted on the gable ends.

Tuesday, 20 October 2015

Like a bird, high over Madrid, floating on thermals. Looking down on the traffic, down on the people, down on everyday life. Like a bird - perched at a table on the rooftop restaurant at El Cortes Ingles and enjoying a lunchtime beer.

Monday, 19 October 2015

The first of a short season of photographs taken during our recent trip to Spain shows the High Speed Train (RENFE-ALVIA) at Elda-Petrer Station on its way from Alicante to Madrid. Not so much the Flying Scotsman, more the Flying Spaniard.

Sunday, 4 October 2015

When you dip into a box of old slides and start scanning you never know what you will find. This is obviously Paris and therefore it must have been 1973 when we were there on our honeymoon. Even without the Eiffel Tower there would have been a French feel to the photograph - it is something to do with the spaces and the way people walk.

Thursday, 1 October 2015

In Marbella you can take a short walk from the sea front up into the old town along the Avenue del Mar Avenda. If you are lucky you will be heading to one of the delightful bars that populate the old town, but despite your destination take your time as you walk up the tree lined avenue which is punctuated by cooling fountains and wonderfully bizarre Salvador Dali statues.

About Me

One time lecturer, writer on European Affairs and bus conductor, Alan Burnett now divides his time between walking the dog and a little harmless blogging. His News From Nowhere Blog has been running since 2006 and acts as a showcase for his ranting and writing and his photographs old and new.